Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary – Acts (Vol. 1)》

Act . Consenting.—Compare Act 22:20; Luk 11:48; Rom 1:32. Luke had probably often heard this remark from Paul. At that time.—Lit., on that day—viz., of Stephen's murder, which had been the signal for an outbreak of hostility against the Christians. All.—Not to be taken as if none but the Twelve remained in Jerusalem.

Act . Devout men.—Pious Jews (compare Joh 19:38-39), not Christians, who would have been designated "disciples" or "brethren" (see on Act 2:5).

Act . Made havoc of.—Or, kept on laying waste; the imperfect denoting continuous action.

Act . Went everywhere.—Should be "went about"—i.e., from place to place (compare Act 11:19).

HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS.—Act

The Fires of Persecution rekindled; or, Evil overruled for Good

I. The torch that lighted the flame.—This was undoubtedly Stephen's murder. Like a spark falling into a powder magazine it kindled a fierce conflagration. Like the first taste of blood to a tiger, it awoke the dormant appetite for persecution which until now had slumbered in the bosoms of the high-priest and his confederates. The words "on that day" indicate that Stephen's executioners proceeded straight from the scene of his martyrdom and commenced their diabolical work of persecuting Stephen's friends.

II. The miscreant who carried the torch.—There can be little room for question that the person to whom this notoriety belonged was Saul, who at that time was consenting unto Stephen's death (Act ; compare Act 22:20), who, in fact, had been a prominent actor in carrying out the murder of the good deacon (Act 7:58), and who, though not acting without the authority, or, at least, connivance, of the Sanhedrim, was, on his own confession afterwards made (Act 26:9-10), the moving spirit in this anti-Christian crusade.

III. The fury with which the flame blazed.—It entered into every house where a "disciple" or "brother" resided. It spared neither man nor woman who bore the hated name of Christian. It stopped not at the spoiling of their goods, when they had any, but attacked their persons, violently dragging them from their homes and consigning them to prison (Act ; Act 26:10; compare Heb 10:33-34; Jas 2:6-7). How it happened that the apostles were excepted from this persecution is not explained, and this has been regarded by some expositors (Zeller, Schneckenburger, and others) as a difficulty; but it need not be assumed either that they had dropped into temporary obscurity through having been eclipsed by the brilliant deacon, or that they were not harassed like their humbler brethren, though probably the veneration in which they were still held by the populace in general prevented the Sanhedrim from resorting to extreme measures against them.

IV. The alarm which the fire created.—It scattered the disciples from the city; caused, if not all at least a considerable number, perhaps the majority of those against whom the persecution was directed, to flee for safety beyond the bounds of Jerusalem and even of Judæa (see Act ). This statement, however, has, like the former, been challenged as improbable (Zeller) on the ground that so long as the apostles remained in the city it is not likely that all their followers would flee. And assuredly if all fled, what is stated in Act 8:3 about Saul would be impossible. The probability, therefore, is that "all" in Act 8:1 refers principally to the leading personages in the Christian community like Philip (Act 8:5), or to the breaking up of the Christian congregations and the dispersion of their members. That the apostles did not retire from their posts in the metropolis, though they might have done so without sin (Mat 10:23), was only what might have been expected. They were men of a different make from what they had been when they all forsook the Master and fled (Mat 26:56). That the Spirit directed them to remain in the city and comfort the persecuted Christians who were left (Stier) is not improbable, but cannot be proved. That our Lord before His ascension had commanded them to remain in Jerusalem twelve years, though supported by ancient tradition (Clem. Alex., Strom. VI. v. 3), is most likely imagination.

V. The unexpected good in which it resulted.—It led to the extension of the Church. "They that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word." Thus it paved the way for the transition of the gospel to the Gentiles. As it were the missionary activity that was carried on in the Judæan provinces and in Samaria formed a bridge for the passage of the heralds of salvation to cross over into regions beyond. So the highest good is oftentimes evolved out of the greatest evil. God can make man's wrath to praise Him (Psa ) and cause "all things to work together for good to them that love Him (Rom 8:28).

Learn.—

3. That it is not always wrong to flee from persecution. Otherwise Christ would not have counselled His disciples, "When persecuted in one city to flee into another" (Mat ).

4. That more is expected of the Church's leaders than of their followers. A higher degree of Christian virtue should be exhibited by them who are set to rule in the Church. 5. That persecution cannot kill religion. It may destroy those who are religious, but others will arise in their stead. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church" (Tertullian).

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Act . The Church which was in Jerusalem.

I. Living.—A dead Church a misnomer.

II. Growing.—Wherever life is there must be progress.

III. Organised.—It had apostles, deacons, and private members.

IV. Persecuted.—This inevitable if a Church is alive and active.

V. Missionary.—The Church that does not propagate the faith is dead.

Act . The Burial of Stephen.

I. The lifeless body.—That of Stephen.

1. A good man.

2. An eloquent preacher.

3. A faithful witness.

4. A noble martyr.

II. The devout pall-bearers.—Pious Jews, perhaps, rather than Christians, who would probably have been called "brethren" or "disciples," and would not have been permitted to inter their fallen leader. That devout men buried Stephen testified to:

1. Their own goodness.

2. Stephen's innocence.

3. The Sanhedrim's guilt.

III. The solemn interment.—No doubt.

1. Hastily, without unnecessary delay; and

2. Plainly, without ostentation or display; but also

3. Reverentially, as was due to the dust of a saint; and

4. Hopefully, in anticipation of a glorious resurrection.

IV. The sorrowful lamentation.—"Great." Because of, either:

1. Its outward vehemence;

2. Its inward intensity; or

3. Its wide prevalence.

Act . Stephen and Saul.

I. The end of Stephen.—

1. In the world's eyes sad.

2. In God's eyes glorious.

II. The beginning of Saul.—

1. In the world's eyes glorious.

2. In God's eyes sad.

Lesson.—God seeth not as man seeth.

Act . The Wolf and his Prey.

I. The wolf.—

1. His name, Saul.

2. His race, of the tribe of Benjamin (Gen ).

3. His ferocity, "Haling men and women he committed them to prison."

4. His diligence, "entering into every house."

II. His prey.—Christ's sheep, "the Church" (Act ).

1. A little flock (Luk ).

2. A feeble flock (1Pe ).

3. A purchased flock (Act ).

Saul and Paul.—The Saul who made havoc of the Church became the Paul who said, "Feed the Church of God." Remember well the identity of the man, if you would understand fully the import of the doctrine. This change in the heart and life of Paul shows—

I. The marvellous power of the grace of God.—The marvellousness of this power is not always so conspicuous. Every operation of grace is beautiful, but in some cases it is startling and most sublime. Herein let us magnify the grace of God. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." "Ye who sometime were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." "You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled." This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. The occurrence of such marvellous instances is most valuable on two grounds:

1. It inspires hope even for the worst. Pray on! Hope on! The hardest rocks have been broken.

2. It renews our sense of the sufficiency of Divine grace. Great victories gladden nations. Great conversions make the Church joyful. This change in the heart and life of Paul shows—

II. The difference between sanctifying human energies and destroying them.—Saul was undoubtedly characterised by peculiar energy; what will Paul be? You will find that the Christian apostle retained every natural characteristic of the anti-Christian persecutor. Who so ardent in love, who so unswerving in service, as the apostle Paul? Was he an active sinner, but an indolent saint? How did he himself bear the treatment which he had inflicted upon others? Hear his words, and feel if they do not quicken the flow of your blood: "Are they ministers of Christ? I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft," etc. How a man's sins come back upon him! How sure is the discipline, and how terrible is the judgment of God! Can a man step easily from the rank of persecutor to the honour of apostle? Never! Hear Paul: "Even this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things," etc. We feel in reading such words how inexorable is the law—"With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again." But notice the energy of the apostle as being the same as the energy of the persecutor. Christianity does not destroy our natural temperament. We become sanctified, not deadened.

1. Christians will differ in the tone and measure of their service. He who has had much forgiven will love much. How does an escaped slave talk about liberty? So with preachers. The memory of their past lives will determine their preaching. Do not bind down all men to the same style.

2. Is our Christian energy equal to the energy with which we entered upon the service of the world? When were you kept back from gay engagements by wet, damp, or foggy nights? When did you complain that you could never go to the theatre without paying, or tell the devil that his service was costly? In the light of such inquiries let us examine our Christian temper and service. This change in the heart and life of Paul suggests—

III. The possible greatness of the change which awaits even those who are now in Christ.—The moral distance between Saul and Paul is immense, but what of the spiritual distance between Paul the warrior and Paul the crowned saint? It is the distance between earth and heaven.—J. Parker, D.D.

Verses 5-8

CRITICAL REMARKS

Act . Philip.—Not the apostle, but the deacon (Act 6:4). The city of Samaria—according to the best MSS.—signifies that the capital built by Omri (1Ki 16:24), and renamed Sebaste by Herod the Great (Jos., Ant., XX. Act 6:2), was the place to which Philip went; if with some MSS. the article before city be omitted, then Samaria would mean the province of that name, and the city might be Sychar, the Sichem of the Old Testament (Joh 4:5).

Act . The people.—Better, the multitudes—i.e., of the city.

Act . For unclean spirits, etc.—Should be rendered either "For from many of those who had unclean spirits, they—i.e., the spirits—went forth crying with a loud voice," the genitive πολλῶν being dependent on the ἐξ in the verb compare Act 16:39; Mat 10:14 (De Wette, Meyer); or "For from many of those having (sc. them—i.e., unclean spirits) unclean spirits crying with a loud voice went forth (Bengel, Kuinoel). But the best texts ( א A B C) read πολλοὶ ἐξήρχοντο; in which case the verse should be translated; "for many of those who had unclean spirits crying with a loud voice went forth"; the writer having probably, when he commenced the sentence, intended to say "were healed," instead of which he changes the construction, and sets down "went forth," as if the "unclean spirits" were the nominative (Alford, Holtzmann). It has been remarked (Bengel) that in the Acts the term "demons" is never used of "the possessed," although in Luke it occurs more frequently than in the other gospels; and the inference drawn that after the death of Christ the malady of possession was weaker (compare 1Jn 3:8; Col 2:15; Heb 2:14).

Philip in Samaria; or, The Gospel Spreading

I. The preacher.—Philip. Not the apostle, as a late Christian tradition, mentioned by Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus, in A.D. 198 (Eusebius, III. , Act 24:1), affirms, since he remained in Jerusalem (Act 8:1), but the deacon (Act 6:5) and evangelist (Act 21:8), who by going down to Samaria—

1. Supplied the place and took up the work of Stephen, his martyred colleague. Christ's servants dying never want successors.

2. Counteracted the evil machinations of Stephen's murderers, and of Saul in particular, who hoped to extinguish the faith to which as yet he was a stranger and of which he knew not the vitality; and

3. Evidenced his own confidence in the indestructibility of the gospel, whose preachers and professors might be imprisoned or slain, but whose glorious tidings could not be hindered from flying abroad and one day encircling the earth.

II. The audience.—The inhabitants of the city of Samaria or of Sychar, who were—

1. Numerous, being described as a multitude.

2. Afflicted, containing many diseased and demonised persons.

3. Deluded, being at the time bewitched by or amazed at Simon's sorceries; and still

4. Eager, with one accord giving heed to Philip, perhaps because of having, in a measure, through Christ's preaching ten years before (Joh ; Joh 4:40), been prepared for the reception of the word.

III. The message.—

1. Its subject. The Christ. Philip entertained his hearers neither with diatribes against the magician who had so long bewitched them, nor with denunciations of the Sanhedrim who had opened against the followers of the new faith the fires of persecution, nor with commiserations of themselves who had so much sickness bodily and mental, in their midst, but with what should ever be the preacher's theme (1Co ), proclamations of the Christ—viz., Jesus—who had suffered on the cross, risen from the grave, and ascended into heaven.

2. Its confirmation. The signs which he did—

(1) the works of healing which he performed on the demonised, the palsied, and the lame, attested him a teacher come from God (compare Joh ); and

(2) the cries of the unclean spirits in coming forth from their victims, not shouts of indignation at being ejected from their human lodging, but vociferous declarations of the Messiahship of Jesus or of the truth of the gospel (compare Mar ; Luk 4:41), were a practical endorsement of his words.

IV. The result.—Great joy. On account of—

1. The glad tidings come to the city. The introduction of the gospel with its glorious announcements of a crucified and risen Lord (Act ), of a finished redemption work (Joh 17:4), and of a peace established between God and man on the basis of that work (Eph 2:14-18), as well as with its sublime possibilities of salvation (Rom 1:16), to a heart, to a city, to a country, a cause of rejoicing than which better can not be imagined (Psa 89:15).

2. The wonderful deliverances wrought on its inhabitants. The healings done upon the bodies of the citizens of Samaria or Sychar were emblematic of the higher healings the gospel could, and in numberless instances did, effect upon their souls. To-day, as in Philip's time, the gospel heals all manner of spiritual disease and emancipates souls from the power of sin and Satan (Col ), besides indirectly promoting the health of bodies.

Learn.—

2. The true prosperity of a city—the prevalence in it of the Gospel.

Act . The Inhabitants of Samaria.

I. What they heard. Christ proclaimed.

II. What they saw. Miracles performed.

III. What they did.

1. Listened to the word.

2. Studied the miracles.

3. Rejoiced in the work of Philip.

Act . Joy in Samaria.—Occasioned by four things.

I. The Gospel preached in its streets.

II. Healing brought to its inhabitants.

III. Delusions dispelled from their minds.

IV. Souls saved from the power of sin and death.

Act . Philip's Mission to Samaria.

I. The conduct of Philip.—He—

1. Went down to Samaria.

2. Preached Christ to the people.

3. Wrought miracles in the city.

II. The attention of the Samaritans.—They:

1. Heard Philip preach. 2. Were seriously affected.

3. Gave heed to what they heard.

4. Believed what was preached.

III. The effect in the city.—Great joy. Because of:

1. Joyful tidings heard.

2. Wondrous healings experienced.

3. Numerous conversions made.

Verses 9-13

CRITICAL REMARKS

Act . Simon.—Not the Cyprian Jew of that name whom, according to Josephus (Ant., XX. vii. 2), Felix afterwards employed to persuade Drusilla to leave for him her husband. King Azizus of Emesa (De Wette, Neander, Hilgenfeld, Alford), but, according to Justin Martyr (Apol., i. 56; Dial., 120), a Samaritan magician out of Gitthon (Zeller, Holtzmann, Zöckler). The people.—Should be, the nation, τὸ ἕθνος, because Simon's bewitchery was not confined to the city population.

Act . The great power of God, in the best MSS., is the power of God which is called great—i.e., because it is so (Hackett), rather than because it is not so (De Wette). Noticeable that this was the people's estimate of Simon. In the term "Great" has been found either Gnostic emanation doctrine (Overbeck), or a transliteration of the Samaritan word Magala, Revealer (Klostermann, Wendt).

Act . Of long time.—The dative for the ordinary accusative as in Act 13:20; Joh 2:20; Rom 16:25. Simon's influence may have reached back to a period shortly after our Lord's visit to Samaria (Joh 4:39-42).

Act . Wondered, or was amazed at Philip's miracles and signs—Rather, signs and great powers—i.e., deeds of power, as previously the crowd had been amazed at his (Simon's) sorceries (Act 8:9).

HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS.—Act

The Accession of Simon Magus; or, the Reception of a Doubtful Convert

I. The previous history of Simon Magus.—

1. His profession. A sorcerer. According to Justin Martyr (Apol., I. xxvi. 56) belonging to the Samaritan village of Gitton. One of those unscrupulous adventurers who by "an advanced knowledge of natural philosophy, especially of chemistry," acquired "a strange power and influence over men's minds," which they "constantly used to further their own selfish ends" (Spence). Others of the same kidney were Elymas, whom Paul encountered at the court of Sergius Paulus in Paphos (Act ), and the vagabond Jews, exorcists, whom he met at Ephesus (Act 19:13). To this fraternity belonged Apollonius, of Tyana, who lived in the time of Christ. A zealous champion of the doctrines of Pythagoras, he was regarded by his contemporaries as a worker of miracles, and claimed for himself insight into futurity. Josephus (Ant., XX. vii. 2) mentions another Simon, also of Cyprus, unless he was identical with the Simon of Samaria, as a magician who persuaded Drusilla to desert her husband and marry Felix (Act 24:24). That Simon pitched on Samaria as the field of his operations may have been due to the circumstance that it contained a grand heathen temple, which he probably thought would make the city so much the fitter a scene for his magical incantations (see Stokes on Acts, i. 360, note).

2. His practice. He bewitched or amazed the people with his sorceries, either imposed on their credulity by sleight of hand, or dazzled their judgment by feats performed through superior knowledge. What the arts practised by him were is not related. Later tradition represents him as having offered to demonstrate his divinity by flying in the air (Constt. Apost., ii. 14, vi. 9), and as having boasted that he could turn himself and others into brute beasts, and even cause statues to speak (Clem. Hom., iv. c. 4; Recog., ii. 9, iii. 6). Whether he had attempted any such legerdemain in Samaria or not is uncertain; but for a long time (most likely for a number of years) he had cast a spell over their minds and secured their attention to his superstitious and hurtful doctrines. He is said to have denied the resurrection of the dead, and only pretended to believe in a future judgment, to have desired to set Gorizim in place of Jerusalem, and to have allegorically expounded the Old Testament so as to support his own views.

3. His pretension. He gave out "that himself was some great one." Like Theudas, he boasted that he was somebody (Act ). According to the Clementine Homilies (ii. 22 ff.) he gave himself out for the Highest Power, from which he distinguished the Creator of the world as an inferior being, and also claimed to be the Messiah. In this he showed himself a precursor of Antichrist (2Th 2:4). Exaltation of self is both an old (Gen 3:5) and a common (Luk 14:11) sin, against which men in general (Jer 9:23; Dan 4:37), and Christians in particular (Gal 6:3), are earnestly warned.

4. His popularity. To him the whole population "gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is that power of God which is called great.'" Few things are more incontestable or sad than the gullibility of mankind. "Gullible, however, by fit apparatus, all publics are, and gulled with the most surprising profit" (Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, p. 68). The remarkable thing is that almost any sort of tomfoolery, mountebankism, and charlatanry will do to cheat men. No imposture is too ridiculous to find adherents. No quack is so vulgar that he cannot draw around him admiring fools: Simon is reported to have visited Rome in the time of Claudius, and by means of his jugglery to have established himself so highly in popular favour that the Senate decreed him divine honours, and a statue on the island of the Tiber (Justin Martyr, Apol., I. xxvi, 56); and it is not a little remarkable that in the exact spot indicated by Justin, in 1574, there was dug up a statue with the inscription "Semoni Sanco Deo Fidio," though whether this statue was the one referred to by Justin, or another to a Sabine deity, critics are not agreed.

II. The circumstances which led to Simon's conversion.—

1. The preaching of Philip. It is clear from the narrative that Simon himself must have been amongst Philip's listeners, since it is stated that he himself also "believed Philip preaching good tidings," etc. (Act ). "Faith cometh by hearing" (Rom 10:17). Faith that is not based upon the word of God either read or preached lacks a solid foundation, and will ultimately prove unstable and unreal.

2. The faith of the people. The example of the Samaritans operated contagiously on Simon. Observing them falling away from himself and rallying round Philip, he followed in their wake. The event showed he had not been savingly impressed by what he saw and heard, but only superficially stirred. Nevertheless the popular attitude towards Philip appears to have awakened in him something that resembled faith. A similar phenomenon is not unknown in modern religious movements, which draw in and sweep along with them many who are only superficially stirred, not permanently converted.

3. The baptism of the believers. Both men and women avowed the sincerity of their conversion by submitting to the initiatory rite of the Christian religion; and this also must have had its effect upon Simon, and led him to reflect that a greater power than that wielded by himself had arrived upon the scene.

III. The evidence of Simon's (supposed) conversion.—

1. His profession of faith. He "believed." This the first requirement in a disciple. Whatever else may be demanded of Christians, they must repose personal credit in the testimony concerning Christ, and personal trust in Christ Himself.

2. His submission to baptism. In the case of an adult who believes for the first time, this also is indispensable (Mar ; Act 2:38), though it does not show Infant Baptism to be either unscriptural or unreasonable (see on Act 2:39).

3. His adherence to Philip. "He continued with" the deacon and those associated with him; in modern phraseology, he joined the Church, or connected himself with the main body of believers. This a third mark of conversion. "The fellowship of saints" all Christ's followers are expected to cultivate. The Christian life (under certain circumstances) may be successfully maintained in isolation; but in no case without difficulty.

4. His admiration of Philip's miracles. The works of healing wrought by Philip appeared to convince him that what he only pretended to wield, and what the people imagined he wielded, was wielded by Philip in reality—viz., the great power of God. Whether Simon's conversion was genuine or not, it had many of the marks of a true work of grace. Note in illustration.—Philetus, a disciple of Hermogenes the conjurer, coming to a dispute with St. James the elder, relied much upon his sophistry; but the apostle preached Christ to him with such powerfulness that Philetus, returning back to his master, told him, "I went forth a conjurer, but am returned a Christian."

Learn.—

1. That all professors of religion are not true converts.

3. That nothing can so effectually deliver men from this present evil world, with its snares and delusions, as the gospel of Christ.

4. That faith in Christ should ever be accompanied by public confession.

5. That the best arguments in proof of Christianity are the moral and spiritual miracles it performs.